Take 2. FRIDAY'S GUIDE TO MOVIES & MUSIC. Home front.

British Audiences To Get A Look At Who's This Mary?

January 29, 1993|By Mary Stevens.

Local lads Who's This Mary? have self-booked a two-week British tour of London, Manchester and Liverpool for late March/early April.

After sending out promotional packages including the band's new four-song cassette, "Dear Mr. Echo" (recorded last summer at Evanston's Early Recording), "We've had some interest from labels there, and we wanted to give them a chance to make up their minds by seeing us live," says the group's singer-guitarist Nick Stavropoulos. Who's This Mary? also appears on the new Philistine Records compilation CD "Insects Under the Big Foot" with 14 other Chicago acts.

According to Stavropoulous, "Setting up the dates in England was easier than one would expect. The club owners are used to dealing with managers or booking agents and seemed refreshed to talk to a real person for a change. We feel like we're in for the red-carpet treatment when we get out there. But the phone and mailing expenses of doing it yourself are pretty staggering." (So that's what happened to all the Elvis stamps.)

Obviously bitten by the travel bug, Who's This Mary? also will perform in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York in the next few months.

- Play "Mist" for me: Following European and Australian releases of multi-instrumentalist J.J. Evans' single "Monday Morning Rush Hour," Chicago-based Savant Records, in cooperation with Bader Records, will release Evans' album "City Mist" on CD Monday. ("Monday Morning Rush Hour" also was a cut on Savant's "Chicago Nineteen92" compilation CD.) A release party for "City Mist" is scheduled for 8 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Landmark Inn, 11100 S. Langley Ave.

- Creamed Peas: If you were among the huddled masses yearning to see Goober and the Peas at the Elbo Room on Jan. 2, the folks at that venue would like you to know that your idols' failure to show up should in no way be taken personally. The group's borrowed pod-er, van-was involved in an accident on an icy stretch of I-94 that night (after its own van had conked out just hours earlier), but the Peas are scheduled to be at the Elbo Room in fine form on Feb. 5.

- Markos album delayed: Singer/songwriter Nicholas Markos' follow-up to his "Live at the Vic" cassette, a 10-song CD called "Whatever," was originally scheduled to surface this week but has been pushed back for an early March release. Produced by Timothy R. Powell of Metro Mobile and Marc Schwarz of Flat Iron (who also plays bass on the album), the CD features other guest performances by singer Scott Bennett, bassist Kerry Kelekovich (from the Wild Roots and Michael McDermott's band), brother Christopher Markos (on drums), drummer Matthew Payne (of Urbana's Hot Glue Gun) and drummer Todd Sucherman. Watch this column for later details on a release party and in-store appearances promoting "Whatever."

- N.O.R.M.L. benefit: The Elbo Room will host a benefit for N.O.R.M.L. (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) on Feb. 7. The Drovers, the Lupins and Word of Mouth will entertain. Admission is $3; doors open at 7 p.m.